Electrical signaling system.



E.' E. KLEINSGHMIDT. ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1909.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

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.Q F i w i. w. i mw% h d A @3913@ HozumJ M UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. KLEINSCHMIDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOE TO HALL SWITCH &

- SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

T0 all lwhom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. KLniN- SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofthe borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved track circuit and related devices for use in connection with railways in the electrical operation of signals.

' The drawing shows diagrammatically one of the forms which my invention may take.

I will now describe the actual devices shown as an embodiment of my invention and will then point out in the claims the novel features and extent of the invention.

The track is divided by the Wires E1, E2, E3, E4 extending across the track at intervals and hereinafter designated bonds, into a plurality of track circuits or block sections, 1, 2, 3, 4t, the individual track circuits vcomprising adjacent bonds and the rails of the track between.

5 designates the 3rd rail or trolley and 6 'the generatorl which supplies the power current to the rails.

7 designates the alternating current suply lines for the track circuits and signals, S1,'S2, S3, S4, whereas 8 is the alternating current generator connected to the supply lines, 7.

B1, B2, B3, B4 designate line track-transformers, the primaries of which are connected across the alternating current supply lines,'7, and the secondaries of which are connected across breaks in the rail, one at the end of each track circuit. It will be noted that the secondary is suiicicntly heavy to carry the power current without heating. These transformers, B17 B2, B3, Bi1 are constructedwithout an iron core, this makes their primaries substantially insensitive to iuctuations of the power current traversing their secondaries.

C1, C2, C3, C4 are track relay-transformers of the same pattern as the foregoing except that the primary winding is the heavy winding connected across a break in the rail of the particular track circuit at the opposite end of the circuit from the break previously described in connection with the line tracktransformer, whereas the secondary of the transformers C1, C2, C3, t is connected with the operating circuit of a relay.

The particular relays shown, designated A1, A2, A3, A4 are of the polarized type and are two-phase relays. Their contacts, G1, G2, G3, G4, are in the signal operating circuits for the respective signals, S1, S2, 3, S4, said circuits comprising in each instance a source of current supply, I, and a motor device, Il. ln these relays one of the phasecoils is Ain circuit as already indicated with the secondary of a relay track transformer, C1, C2, C, or C4, as the case may be, corresponding to its track circuit, whereas the other phase-coil of each relay is energized from ra circuit in series with the primaryvof the line track transformer of the adjacent track circuit. For this purpose line relaytrausfmmcrs, F1, I, F3, F4 are provided, the primaries of which are in series with the primaries of the line track-transformers, B1, l2, B, Bt, and the secondaries of which are in series with the second-phase coils of the respective relays.

The relays are designed so that when their two coils are energized normally with currents of proper phase relation in proper direction, their contacts G1, G2, G3, G4 will be closed and the signal operating circuits will likewise be closed to operate the signals clear. 0n the other hand, if either phasecoil be decuergized, or if it be energized by a current in improper relation to that which should normally be present, the contacts of the relay will be operated to open and will cause interruption of the signal operating circuit and will send its signal to danger. The proper phase-relationship of the respective coils of the relays may be adjusted by manipulation of, the tuning coils, L, this manipulation consisting; for the particular form of coil shown, in the adjustment ofthe iron cores of said coils.

The line relay-transform1ersF1, F2, F3, Fi are provided with iron cores of a size adapted to be substantially saturated magnetically when the primaries of these transformers are energized with the normal current that flows from the primaries of the line track-transformers when there are no cars in the track circuit. The result is that when any particular track circuit, for example, track circuit l, is short-circuited by the Wheels and axle lof a car in its block, the increased rush of current in the rimary of its line tracktransformer, B1, 1s ineective to increase substantially the current induced in the secondary of the line relay-transformer F2 because of the fact' that the iron core of this transformer is already substantially saturated, whence it follows that the fluctuations a of current in the primaries of theline tracktransformers B1, B2, B3, B4, which necessarily follow from the entrance and exit of cars in the track circuit, is prevented from materiallydisturbing the proper phase-relationship previously secured in the relay operating coils.

As heretofore indicated the relays will not operate to clse their contacts and clear their slgnals unless their coils are ener 'zed by currents of proper phase relations ip, and in addition, a proper clarity. It remains now to explain wherein this polarit consists, and to do so attention is again dlrected to the arrangement of the line track-transformers B1, B2, B3, B?, which, it will be noted, have the primaries of adjacent transformers oppositely connected to the alter- -nating current supply lines, 7, -whereby alternating currents. of opposite polarity at the same moment are induced in adjacent trackcircuits. `This has been indicated by the arrows: thus in track circuit 1 the induced current at the iven moment is supposed to be traveling a ut the circuit in the direction of the arrows, whereas in the adjacent circuit at the same moment the current is traveling in an opposite direction.

' Since each track circuit includes the secondary of a line track-transformer, B1,B2,

B3, B, and the primary of a track relay-v transformer, Cl, C2, C3, C4, in addition to the adjacent bonds and the rails between, it `follows that the currents in the primaries, C1, C2, C, C*,'will bein opposite direction at the same moment for such of said primariesv as are adjacent. Finally, the same differ-4 lence of polarity holds true for the simultaneous currents in the phase coils a of adj acent relays, whence it follows that the polarity of current, which, for example, is normal to and operative of relay A1 would be ab normal to relay A2 and inefective to operate its contacts into closed position. In other words, the relays being polarized an additional safeguard is provided againstthe improper operation thereof and against an improper clearing of the signals. The opposite polarity of the adjacent track circuit currents is advantageous for the additional reason that it tends to confine the respective currents all the more completely to their particular track circuits. Again, should a bond become broken, the adjacent track circuit currents will neutralize each other with the result of causing substantially denergization of the track relay-transformers, C1, C2, C3, C4, and consequently with the result of making a clear indication of the signals impossible. On the other hand, assuming that two bonds, E2, E3, be broken and that the current in the primary of the line tracktransformer B2 has failed, either through the blowing of the fuse D3 or otherwise, and further supposing that at the lsame time there is a car in block 3, the system is still able adequately to take care of the situation and prevent an improper clearing of any of the signals, because the current from the track circuit' lptwhich it vwill be noted is now not localized to that circuit because the bond, E2, is broken, and further because there is no current of opposite polarity in track circuit 2,A transformer B2 being dead) will traverse-the track of block 2, (setting the signal S2 to danger because the current is not in direction to clear this signal) into the track of block 8, and there will be carried across the rails by the wheels and axle of the car, but, although said current passes through the primary of the track relaytransformer C3 in proper direction, it is un-` able to operate the relay A? to close its contacts and clear the signal S3 because the other phase coil of said relay is dead, there being no current in the track transformer B3, hence the advantage of energizin one of the phase coils of the relay from a. circuit which is in series with the primary of the adjacent line track-transformer.

Having thus described my invention what I claim isz- 1. In a signaling system, the combination of rails havino breaks therein, bonds across the rails dividing them into track circuits comprising adjacent bonds and the inter` vening rails, ironless track transformers having their secondaries each connected across a break in the corresponding one of said track'circuits, a source of alternating current, primaries for said track transformers connected to said source, said primaries being arranged to impress currents of relatively opposite polarity upon adjacent track circuits, signals, means foreach track circuit controlling the indication of a. signal, 'said means being operated from the track c1"- cuit current and being arranged to 1*.' C circuited by the wheels and axle oi a car in said circuit.

2. In a signaling system, the combination.

of track rails, bonds across the rails divid' ing them into track circuits comprising adjacent bonds and intervening rails, a break in one of the rails of each track circuit, ironless track supply transformers, one for each circuit having its secondary connected across the break in the corresponding track cicuit which it supplies, a source of alter nating current, primaries for said track supply transformers connected with said source, said rimaries being arranged to impress curi ents of relatively opposite polarity upon adjacent track circuits, a second break in one of the rails of each track circuit at the 4opposite end of the track circuits from the Vcircuit which it supplies, a source o irst break, ironless track relay transformers, one for each track circuit, the primaries of the track relay transformers being connected across said second breaks in the rails,

v multiple-phase relays, and signal operating circuits controlled by said relays, the secondaries of said relay transformers being in circuit each With a coi1 of the corresponding relay, the other coil of each relay being energized from the primary side of the track transformer for the adjacent track circuit. 3. In a signaling system, the combination of track rails, bonds across the rail dividing them into track circuits comprising adjacent bonds and intervening rails, a break in one' of the rails of each track circuit, ironless track supply transformers, one for each circuit having its secondary connected across the break in the correspondin track alternating current, primaries'for said track supply transformers connected with said source, said primaries being arranged to impress currents of relatively opposite polarity upon adjacent track circuits, a'second break in one of the rails of each track circuit at the opposite end of the track circuits from the first break, ironless track relay' transformers, one for each track circuit, the primaries of the track relay transformers being connected across said second breaks in the rails, multiple-phase relays, line relay transformers, and signal operating circuits controlled by said relays, the secondaries of said relay transformers being in circuit each with a coil of the corresponding relay, the other coils of the relays being in circuit each with the secondary of the corresponding line relay transformer, the primar of which is in circuit with the primary of the track supply transformer for the adjacent track circuit, each of said line relay transformers being provided with iron which is substantially saturated magnetically when said adjacent track circuit is carrying its regular current with no car on the rails of the circuit.

Vitness my hand this llthda of J anuary 1909, at New York city, N. i

' EDWARD E. KLEINSCHMIDT. `Witnesses E. W. Somma, Jr., G. M. Saumur.` 

